Ultimate Guide To The Best Quiet Fans 2020 – Keeping You Cool This Summer

Staying cool by stirring the air and circulating it over our bodies is far from a new thing. In fact, the use of fans is probably as old as the history of mankind. Those early, manually-operated fans were as noiseless as the person operating them. The desire for a quieter fan only arrived after the development of mechanical fans, and more specifically, electrical fans. That need for a quieter fan has created a very broad market with plenty of models to choose from.

With so many variations and models, how can you possibly choose the right, quiet fan? Well, that takes some education as well as an examination of your needs and personal preferences. We can help you through our buyer’s guide, which will inform you about the benefits and features of quiet fans to give you a general understanding of what you’re looking for. Narrowing down your choice can be accomplished by comparing how various models present those benefits and features through their individual designs.

Once you have finished utilizing both our buyer’s guide and our reviews, you should have sufficient information to make a qualified choice concerning which fan best fits your needs and personal preferences. With that goal in mind, let’s get started.

Why do you need a quiet fan?

In general, fans help maintain a more comfortable body temperature by circulating air which flows over the surface of our skin. Fans can keep us cool or they can help to more evenly distribute heat. However, most people tend to think of fans for cooling. Quiet fans tend to come into play because fans are typically used while we are working or while we are sleeping.

What benefits can you expect from a quiet fan?

A quiet fan can provide you with the cooling you desire without being so loud that you can’t sleep. In the office, a quieter fan helps to keep you cool without breaking your concentration or disturbing those who are working around you.

What are some features to look for in a quiet fan?

There are a number of different features which determine the noise level as well as the performance of a given fan. You will have to find a balance between various factors in order to achieve the level of performance you want without increasing the level of noise.

Shape of the Blades

When it comes to noise level, the design of the blade is a determining factor. Manufacturers are constantly enhancing the aerodynamics of fan blades in an attempt to increase airflow output while reducing the noise level at the same time. Unless you are an expert in aerodynamics, the terms vortex shedding and turbulence will have little meaning to you, unless the manufacture happens to note that their fans have reduced vortex shedding or decreased turbulence.

Speed of the Blades

If you have ever owned a box fan, you know that the correlation between the speed of the blades and noise is extremely noticeable. Higher RPMs increase noise and lower RPMs decrease noise. There are formulas for determining how much of a decibel (db) increase or decrease a certain change in speed will produce, but we’ll leave that to the engineers.

Diameter of the Blades

The balance of performance and noise level is determined by the diameter of the blades of the fan. Put in simplest terms, a larger diameter fan can move more air at the same noise level of a smaller fan. Essentially, a 16” diameter fan will produce the same airflow as a 10” diameter fan, but it can do so at lower RPMs, so it is quieter. Did you ever notice that you can hardly hear a ceiling fan when you compare it to a desk fan or a tower fan?

Other Factors

There are other factors that contribute to fan noise as well. These factors vary from one fan to another depending upon design factors as well as environmental factors. Briefly, here are four of those additional factors which contribute to fan noise:

• Fan Load. This refers to the electrical noise that is produced by the fan’s motor. This can be controlled some by design, but even individual motors have their own little quirks about them.

• Impedance. This is related to the size and shape of vent openings or guards and how they interfere with airflow into and away from the fan. More open space allows for less impedance and less open space creates higher impedance and greater noise.

• Altitude. This is an environmental factor, which cannot be controlled. Thinner air at altitude will be reduced for each level of RPMs, making it necessary to run the same fan at a higher speed to achieve an equal result.

• Vibration. Where vibration is not directly related to fan performance or airflow, it is related to noise. Vibrations from the structure of the fan could be related to a maintenance issue, the stability of the base beneath the fan, a design flaw, the quality of the material and its assembly, or any number of other factors.

With these factors related to fan noise, the general features to look for and the benefits of a quiet fan in mind, an examination of several quiet fans gives you the opportunity to compare those features among various products.

Our Top Picks Best Quiet Fans Reviews

The Honeywell HT350B Quiet Set Table Fan is designed to set atop flat surfaces and provide the necessary comfort without the extra noise. Rare among table-top style fans, this fan has an oscillation feature to help disperse air movement over a wider area. It has four different spinning speeds with raised buttons on the fan’s base. It is completely assembled, ready to plug-in and ready to use the moment you take it out of the box.

The Good

This fan is compact at 14” and with a 7” base sits pretty stable on a desk, dresser or nightstand. Its oscillating feature is great to find on such a model. It has four speed setting, including a sleep setting for quieter operation at night. It is ready to go out of the box and it includes a 1 year warranty.

The Not So Good

Though the fan itself is 14” the actual diameter of the fan blades are only 6 inches, so you’re buying a lot of box and not much fan. The smaller fan size won’t move much air without getting noisy. It seems to have speed control issues as well.

A Great Choice If…

You need a small desktop fan for personal cooling in close proximity. If you are expecting a high output, quiet fan, this isn’t it.

The brushless motor of the OPolar Super Quiet Desk USB Fan reduces noise to just 40db. It is so quiet that you won’t be able to hear it over the sound of your keyboard clicking. It has a speed range from 1700 RPM on low and 2000 RPM on high. ABS plastic is used in the construction of this fan to provide greater stability and durability. The head can rotate a full 360 degrees and this fan sets flat on your desk with perfect stability and can plug into a USB port on your computer. It also comes with a 1 year warranty.

The Good

This is a super compact desktop fan that is less than 7” tall or wide, which is perfect for providing personal cooling at your desk or on your nightstand. It has two speed settings, only puts out a maximum of 40db and can rotate a full 360 degrees so that you can direct air exactly where you want it. It plugs into a USB port on your desktop or laptop, so you might be able to take it along with you. It includes a 1 year warranty as well.

The Not So Good

You have to be within 3 feet to feel any air movement from this fan. Is USB powered only, unless you plug it into a USB type wall outlet adapter; not included.

A Great Choice If…

You need a little airflow while you are computing, especially as a carry-along for your laptop. If you are looking for some major airflow, keep looking.

Move air in the whole room with this Honeywell HYF290B Quietset Whole-Room Tower Fan. The whisper design of this fan allows you to spread a steady breeze throughout the room without even noticing that it is there. Featuring oscillation, an adjustable thermostat, digital temperature display and a remote control, this fan moves air movement into the 21st century. This tower also has a 12-hour auto shut-off timer, because when you forget that the fan is on, you also might forget to turn it off.

The Good

This tower fan has 8 push button speed controls to get the perfect amount of airflow for the room you’re in. It has oscillation, a digital display and an adjustable thermostat, all of which can be controlled by remote control from anywhere in the room. It can be programmed to shut off automatically. It has lights in its base that can be dimmed to various levels for nighttime operation. It has very quiet airflow and oscillation functions.

The Not So Good

Whole room cooling is only accomplished if the room is not more than about 12’ x 12’. This fan does not come fully assembled and must be put together before using. The plastic is a cheap, flimsy grade and not very durable.

A Great Choice If…

You are trying to cool a small bedroom or office. You won’t be impressed with this fan in larger rooms and its longevity is questionable.

Ultra-quiet performance was the design goal of the Rowenta VU2631 Turbo Silence Extreme Manual Table Fan. This is a 12” table fan with four speeds of operation, which delivers an impressive 1695 cubic ft/minute of airflow utilizing a five blade design. Even more impressive is that it accomplishes this feat at a noise level of just 38db. It has a manual dial control for various speed settings and has an extra-quiet mode for running it at night. This unit includes an ergonomic carrying handle to move it from one place to another as well.

The Good

This has the classic tabletop design that has worked well for several decades. The airflow of this fan is impressive at 38db. The 4-speed settings are nice for getting the perfect airflow and oscillation option helps spread the air over the entire room. It comes fully assembled and ready to use.

The Not So Good

Not a whole lot of creativity in the design. The stability of these fans leaves a little something to be desired because they are top heavy.

A Great Choice If…

You need a basic room fan that does its job well and operates quietly. If you want something more stylish or compact, you won’t be impressed with this unit.

Another whole room tower fan from the Honeywell Quiet Set line, this fan provides whole-room quiet cooling utilizing 5 speed variations and oscillation. This unit utilizes touch button, quiet set controls to adjust speeds from sleep mode to power cooling mode. Included on this fan are control panel lights which automatically dim after 15 seconds so that you can see what you are doing to adjust it in the dark, but not be kept awake by bright light.

The Good

This tower fan has 4 push button speed controls to get the perfect amount of airflow for the room you’re in. It has oscillation, a digital display and an adjustable thermostat, all of which can be controlled by remote control from anywhere in the room. It can be programmed to shut off automatically. It has lights in its base that can be dimmed to various levels for nighttime operation. It has very quiet airflow and oscillation functions.

The Not So Good

Whole room cooling is only accomplished if the room is not more than about 12’ x 12’. This fan does not come fully assembled and must be put together before using. The plastic is a cheap, flimsy grade and not very durable.

A Great Choice If…

You are looking for a tower fan and are on a budget. If overall quality is a major concern with you, then this probably isn’t your fan.

Quiet and comfortable air movement can be achieved using this Bovado USA High TurboPowered Table Top Fan. The powerful motor on this fan provides maximum air movement, but produces little more than a whisper of noise. This fan features a compact, portable design and an adjustable tilt angle up to 90 degrees so that you can direct the breeze right where you want it. It utilizes three speed control and is incased in a cage design that is safe for children and pets.

The Good

This fan has a sleek modern design that looks nice setting on a desk, table or nightstand. The tilt angle adjustments are nice for getting the airflow directed exactly where you want it. The motor on this fan is quiet as is the fan itself. It has a simple three speed dial control to adjust air movement as well. The cage design is an added safety feature to keep in mind.

The Not So Good

The size of this fan is still going to limit how much airflow it can put out and it will not provide a lot of air movement in a large room at low RPMs for quiet operation.

A Great Choice If…

You want a more stylish design in a desktop fan that moves decent air for a small room and doesn’t break your budget. You still won’t be happy with this fan for cooling a larger room.

Oscillation in a 12” table fan of this style is nothing new, but this Rowenta VU2531 Turbo Silence Table Fan to another level. This is a 4-speed, dial-controlled desk fan with an oscillating head, which can pivot in all directions in up to 90 degree angle in order to spread that breeze around the room. Its five-blade design maximizes air movement of up to 1,695 cubic feet/minute without adding noise. The noise level rating on this unit ranges from 38db on low to 55db on high.

The Good

The 12” blades on this fan move more air at lower RPMs than the other models and are therefore quieter when operating. This fan features 4-speed dial control, a 90 degree pivot angle in all directions and an oscillating head. It operates at an impressive 55db or below, which is about as loud as a library. This is a classic table top design that has worked well for decades.

The Not So Good

This type of fan is very top-heavy, especially once you get the upward tilt past a certain point. This fan is a little pricey compared to others in its class.

A Great Choice If…

You want a dependable desktop or tabletop fan which quietly moves a lot of air in a design that has changed in years. This is not a designer fan and you might think the price tag is a little much for this plain Jane fan.

Also in the QuietSet line is this Honeywell HS-1655 16” Stand Fan which is highly efficient without adding a lot of extra noise. Featured on this fan are 5 speed variations for greater comfort as well as oscillation and wider cooling dispersion, an adjustable mounting stand. Also included are LED controls on the fan along with a remote control which allows you to adjust this fan from various locations around the room in order to get optimal coverage. It also has an 8-hour auto shut-off timer just in case you forgot that you left it on.

The Good

For true whole-room cooling, you will want to take a serious look at this fan, because its blade diameter is large enough to produce more air movement than the small diameter fans we have reviewed. 5-speed variations and oscillation are two features that improve air dispersion. The remote control is an added convenience that makes it easier to direct the air to where you are sitting or standing.

The Not So Good

The bright blue lights on the LED function are irritating for nighttime use. It seems to need pretty frequent lubrication when used continuously.

A Great Choice If…

You need whole room cooling from a dependable fan that doesn’t break your budget. You might have to cover the LED lights on the unit or look elsewhere if you want it for nighttime use.

Stylistic innovation combined with optimum efficiency come in the Ozeri 3x Tower Fan. This fan has an ultra-thin 3” thick design with 3 independently controlled fans on this 44” inch tower. Each of these fans has noise cancellation technology which keeps its maximum noise level below 50db. There are up to 9 levels of cooling possible with this fan and 3 preprogrammed airflow patterns to get the most airflow coverage throughout the room. The timer on this fan can be programmed in 30 minute increments up to 7 ½ hours. It can be controlled using an extended range remote or using the LED touch sensitive control panel on the unit itself.

The Good

Three independently controlled fans allows for a very wide variation in air movement. It has a unique design with an attractive slender profile that is very different than most towers and is more efficient than the typical tower fan design. It can be programmed using a remote control. With a noise level below 50db on its highest setting, this is still a pretty quiet fan.

The Not So Good

It makes noise as it oscillates. The bottom light on the unit is much too bright for nighttime use. You will have to shell out a little more money for this unit than for other fans.

A Great Choice If…

You are looking for something unique with more of a high-tech feel and functionality, and price is not really an issue. If you are on a budget or just want something simple you won’t like this fan.

Quiet Beauty

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